***Monday, January 15, 2018, Commissioners did not meet due to the Human Rights Day Holiday.
***Tuesday, January 16, 2018, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in regular session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner LeAlan Pinkerton, Commissioner Walt Kirby, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
Commissioners gave the opening invocation and said the Pledge of Allegiance.
9:00 a.m., Road and Bridge Department Superintendent Clint Kimball joined the meeting to give the departmental report. A written report was presented.
Mr. Kimball presented Commissioners with a grant application for guardrails for the following three locations: the bottom of Highland Flats, Deep Creek Loop and Moyie River Road near Fiest Creek.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to authorize the Chairman to sign the Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (LHSIP) grant application for the installation of guardrails on Deep Creek Loop, Highland Flats Hill and Moyie River Road. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to sign the Boundary Area Transportation Team (BATT) Local Designee Form appointing Clint Kimball as Representative and Randy Morris as the alternate. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners and Mr. Kimball reviewed information on a proposed new Caterpillar (CAT) 140M all-wheel drive grader. The annual usage would be 450 hours. Mr. Kimball said he can get out of the lease anytime and Caterpillar can also exchange this grader anytime they want if they feel they can sell it, but CAT would provide a replacement. Mr. Kimball said this new grader would be a rental and at the end of this program, there would be nothing. This is a cheaper option, according to Mr. Kimball. Chairman Dinning questioned how much credit Road and Bridge would receive by trading in used equipment. Mr. Kimball said the current loader is working out great and it’s a value to keep it.
Chairman Dinning said if the county has a lease that is coming to term, has $200,000 if participating in a buyback option, and has a new lease payment of $100,000 if buying new equipment, the county would be giving away the remaining value of $100,000.
Mr. Kimball questioned the status and uncertainty of receiving Secure Rural Schools funding.
Mr. Kimball said he will do more research on the grader. Clerk Poston questioned if this was a lease or rental as it isn’t clear in the paperwork. Commissioner Pinkerton asked if this program is new or has been around for some time. Mr. Kimball said it is a new rental program. Chairman Dinning said if the guarantee buyback is better than the trade-in, then the county should use that to buy this piece of equipment. Mr. Kimball said he will look into that. Commissioners and Clerk Poston questioned the rental rate if Road and Bridge were to go over the hourly limit.
Chairman Dinning asked Mr. Kimball if Road and Bridge is now operating on a split shift and Mr. Kimball nodded yes. Chairman Dinning said Commissioners have received telephone calls from the public about plowing and he was wondering if Road and Bridge plow truck drivers were afraid of getting stuck in the ditches as the roads have not been plowed as wide as in the past. Mr. Kimball and Commissioners discussed various plowing scenarios. Chairman Dinning said this is nothing negative, just a question.
Commissioner Pinkerton mentioned that Mr. Kimball may want to take a look at Fleming Creek Road as someone had done some logging and could possibly have crushed the culvert. Mr. Kimball said to do this work someone should have to get a permit just as water companies and other companies are required to do and he is going to meet with County Civil Attorney Tevis Hull about county ordinances pertaining to this and requiring flaggers, etc. Commissioner Pinkerton said there was no signage as to an active logging operation going on. Mr. Kimball said people in this county think no one is going to get in trouble for these violations.
The meeting with Mr. Kimball ended at 9:40 a.m.
Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals joined the meeting at 9:40 a.m.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to deny indigent case 2018-7. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Deputy Clerk Ryals left the meeting at 9:44 a.m.
Those present discussed the need to improve funding and reimbursement of the Fire Safe program. Clerk Poston said the county’s outside auditor is fine with overrunning an account for this as long as the matter is settled within 60 days as the county ultimately does have the funding. Chairman Dinning said the Idaho Department of Lands only accepts requests for funds once per month so a cutoff date needs to be set by Project Manager Inland Forest Management in which to receive invoices from vendors, and Panhandle Area Council needs to have a turnaround time so the county can get the funds back. Chairman Dinning said he will look into this further.
10:00 a.m., Solid Waste Department Superintendent Claine Skeen and Assistant Superintendent Eric Owen joined the meeting to discuss the Solid Waste Department budget. Chairman Dinning said Mr. Skeen won’t have enough money to fund the first three month of this budget. Mr. Skeen reviewed revenue information with Commissioners. Chairman Dinning said we will need to come up with over $200,000. Those present reviewed the date the payment on the loader is due. Clerk Poston said the due date is August.
Chairman Dinning said looking forward, the county cannot raise fees enough to make any big dent in the overall picture. This shortage will accumulatively happen over time until the issue can be solved. Chairman Dinning asked Mr. Skeen to determine the cost to operate the Paradise Valley monitored dumpster site. Mr. Skeen said approximately $40,000 sounds familiar, but he will look into that again. Chairman Dinning asked Mr. Skeen to have his employees start counting the number of vehicles that come through all solid waste sites. Commissioner Pinkerton suggested there be some thought about reducing the number of days a monitored site is open as opposed to closing the whole site down. Commissioners also suggested postponing the purchase of the possi-shell material and applicator for one year to help with the budget shortfall. Chairman Dinning said if the county can still sell aluminum, there is also the wood pile to consider. There are no funds in the budget to grind another load of wood.
Clerk Poston mentioned a list of delinquent landfill customer accounts has been provided to Commissioners for collection. Mr. Skeen will submit an updated list as he has received payments on some of the accounts.
10:25 a.m., Commissioner Pinkerton moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1)b, to consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent, or public school student. Commissioner Kirby second. Commissioners voted as follows: Chairman Dinning “aye”, Commissioner Pinkerton “aye”, and Commissioner Kirby “aye”. Motion passed unanimously. The executive session ended at 10:30 a.m. No action was taken.
Mr. Skeen and Mr. Owen left the meeting.
Commissioner Kirby moved to approve the minutes for the weeks of December 25 & 26, 2018 and January 8 & 9, 2018. Commissioner Pinkerton second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners discussed a member of the public having interest in becoming a county advisory board member. Chairman Dinning said Commissioners also received correspondence from the Fair Board with a recommendation for two board appointments, but there is only one board vacancy. Commissioners will only chose one person as they do not want to increase the number of board members.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to appoint Stacie Watts to the Fair Board, filling a position left vacant by Craig Kelson, with a term to expire February 2022. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Clerk Poston mentioned to Commissioners that she wants to purchase a Westlaw account for the county’s public defenders. The cost is $300 per month for a minimum of five years.
Commissioner Kirby moved to authorize the Chairman to sign the WEST PROFLEX/Westlaw Agreement for Boundary County’s public defenders at a rate of $300 per month for a minimum of five years. Commissioner Pinkerton second. Motion passed unanimously.
Chairman Dinning discussed matters pertaining to Forest Service and vacant positions.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to sign Certificates of Residency for Kaylee Kramer and Sherrill Evans. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to grant extension of time and to accept payments of $125.00 by the 7th of each month toward year 2014 taxes for parcels #RP65N01W084870 and #RP65N01W087960. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to grant extension of time and to accept payments of $50.00 per month toward year 2014 taxes for parcel #RP60N01W348990 and year 2017 taxes for parcel #MH60N01W34899A. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to sign the Farming Lease with T&T Farms to farm county property next to the landfill. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
10:45 a.m., Commissioners addressed the Findings and Decision for Planning and Zoning Application #18-011, an application for a subdivision short plat requested by Roger Unruh. Present were: Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner LeAlan Pinkerton, Commissioner Walt Kirby, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. The proceedings were recorded.
According to the written Findings and Decision, the application is for a short plat subdivision on Parcel #RP04700000080A, located south of the intersection of Division Street and East Mountain View Road, in Moyie Springs. The subdivision is to be named Mountain View Heights 3rd Addition. The final plat is to contain Panhandle Health District approval, 3-Mile Water is to provide approval in the form of a will serve letter, Bonner Ferry is to provide electricity in the form of a will serve letter, and a statement acknowledging that, at the time of sale, approaches to county roads will be installed.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to sign the Findings and Decision for Planning and Zoning Application #18-011. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
The meeting to approve the Findings and Decision ended at 10:46 a.m.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to adopt Resolution 2018-6A. A resolution amending Resolution 2018-6, establishing polling sites in Boundary County. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously. Resolution 2018-6A reads as follows:
RESOLUTION 2018-6A
A RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION 2018-6
ESTABLISHING POLLING SITES IN BOUNDARY COUNTY
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners, County of Boundary, State of Idaho, did adopt Resolution 2018-6 on January 8, 2018 that established polling sites in Boundary County, and
WHEREAS, a clerical error was discovered in the Resolution in that the Resolution stated that Commissioners reaffirmed the polling sites for elections to be held in Boundary County in calendar year 2017 and it should have been calendar year 2018, and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners, County of Boundary, State of Idaho, has established seven polling sites within the County, and
WHEREAS, those sites are the Bonners Ferry/Kootenai Precinct, Copeland Precinct, Moyie Springs Precinct, Naples Precinct, North Bonners Ferry Precinct, Valley View Precinct, and the Countywide Absentee Voting Precinct
NOW THEREFORE, upon motion duly made, seconded, and unanimously carried,
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners, County of Boundary, State of Idaho hereby reaffirms the polling sites for elections to be held in Boundary County in calendar year 2018 as follows:
PRECINCT LOCATION
B.F./Kootenai Precinct Exhibit Hall, Boundary County Fairgrounds
Copeland Precinct Mt. Hall School
Moyie Springs Precinct Moyie Springs City Hall
Naples Precinct South Boundary Fire Hall
North Bonners Ferry Precinct Exhibit Hall, Boundary County Fairgrounds
Valley View Precinct Exhibit Hall, Boundary County Fairgrounds
Countywide Absentee Voting Precinct Boundary County Courthouse
DATED this 16th day of January, 2018
COUNTY OF BOUNDARY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
s/_________________________________
Dan R. Dinning, Chairman
s/_________________________________
LeAlan L. Pinkerton, Commissioner
s/_________________________________
Walt Kirby, Commissioner
ATTEST:
s/__________________________________________________
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners
Recorded as instrument #272945
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to appoint Marty Martinez to the Restorium Board with a term to expire January 2021. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to approve the request of Mike Weland of Newsbf.com and to provide the county’s legal notices to Newsbf.com, in addition to the county’s newspaper of record, provided that this submission is on a voluntary basis and it is free of charge. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
10:58 a.m., County Civil Attorney Tevis Hull stopped by Commissioners’ Office. Commissioners asked about charging a late fee for delinquent customer accounts owed to the Solid Waste Department. Attorney Hull said the county would need to hold a public hearing and adopt an ordinance in order to assess a late fee.
Attorney Hull left the meeting at 10:59 a.m.
Commissioners tended to administrative duties.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to instruct County Maintenance John Buckley to seek another quote to have repairs made to the county’s Chevrolet Silverado that Mr. Buckley uses, and to accept the better quote. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
11:20 a.m., Boundary Economic Development Director Dennis Weed joined the meeting.
11:20 a.m., Mr. Weed presented Commissioners with the results from the selection committee in reviewing requests for proposals for engineering services for the regional sewer feasibility study project grant. Present were: Chairman Dinning, Commissioner LeAlan Pinkerton, Commissioner Walt Kirby, Clerk Glenda Poston, Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser, and Economic Development Director Dennis Weed. No members of the public were present. The meeting was recorded.
Commissioners are considering the committee’s recommendation to select an engineering firm for the regional sewer feasibility study grant project. Boundary County received three proposals and the selection committee met to rank the proposals last Tuesday. Members of the selection committee are: Economic Development Director Dennis Weed, Commissioner LeAlan Pinkerton, City of Moyie Springs Council Member Tim Navaerz, City of Moyie Springs Administrator John Nelson, and City of Bonners Ferry Administrator Mike Klaus.
Commissioners reviewed the scoring results for the three firms. Mr. Weed said the committee recommended Keller Associates be chosen as the engineering firm to conduct the study. The fee is something that would be negotiated at a later date.
Commissioner Kirby moved to accept the recommendation of the committee and to select Keller Associates as the engineering firm for the regional sewer feasibility study project. Commissioner Pinkerton second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Pinkerton and Mr. Weed discussed the qualifications of the three firms.
The meeting ended.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to sign the Certificate of Residency for Cassie Skeen. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
11:54 a.m., Road and Bridge Department Superintendent Clint Kimball and Assistant Superintendent Renee Nelson joined the meeting to update Commissioners on the earlier discussion of renting a grader.
Mr. Weed left the meeting at 11:55 a.m.
Mr. Kimball said the current grader in Road and Bridge’s possession is a lease/purchase, but the new machine is a rental. The current machine payments were provided and $155,000 would have to be paid before the already existing grader would actually belong to the county. Ms. Nelson said this is the end of the seventh year for this grader as well. The original cost was $253,000 and the buyback is $155,000. It costs $28 per hour to run, plus the cost of tires, etc., according Chairman Dinning. It was said the value in the free market would be higher as Caterpillar is interested in the buyback. The purchase option is $259,000. Ms. Nelson said the amount financed would be the $259,000 minus $155,000. Ms. Nelson explained the issue with a non-appropriation clause in that if the county had to give back a machine due to financial reasons, but then had cash later on, the county would still not be able to borrow from Caterpillar or another company for a certain time frame. Chairman Dinning asked if there is an advantage here. If all things are equal and the county enters into a new lease-purchase agreement, that payment may be less than $18,000. Chairman Dinning said maybe the county needs to take a quick look into this before Monday and contact Caterpillar. Ms. Nelson said with this new rental arrangement, you could rent the machine for one year and if funding goes well, inform the company that the county was interested in a lease-purchase. Mr. Kimball informed Commissioners that there is always a waiting list for Boundary County machines as they have less hours and have current maintenance records.
Those present discussed the scenario of losing trade-in value.
The meeting with Ms. Nelson and Mr. Kimball ended at 12:19 p.m.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 12:20 p.m.
______________________________________
DAN R. DINNING, Chairman
ATTEST:
________________________________
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser, Deputy Clerk